Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-08
The Queens Jubilee.

n
The fuller accounts brought by mail of
the opening pageant of Queen Victoria's
jubilee justify the telegraphed statement
that no more impressive spectacle has
been seen in Europe since the middle
ages. From the moment the queen left
Buckingham palace until she entered
Westminster Abbey, her advance was be-
tween dense lines of enthusiastic English
men and women, whose prolonged cheer
ing was like an unbroken roar from the
palace gates. Splendid decorations trans
formed many of the great houses along
the way, while the whole course was gay
with flowers and devices of every kind
The queen was not dressed in her robes of
state but was rather simply dressed in
light silk with black lace mantle. Her
snowy carriage was drawn by eight horses
arrayed in light.colored trappings, which
nearly covered the animals like net
work. On one of each pair rode postil-
ion, IN livery. Behind, on raised seats
sat two stalwart Highlanders in their
national costume A cavalcade of princes
accompanied the queen, there being her
sons, Prince of Wales, Duke of Connaught
and Duke of Edinburg, Prince Christian,
Henry of Batteuburg, Grand Duke of
Hesse Marquis of Lorne, and Crown
Prince of Germany; her grandsons,
Princes Albert Victor and George of
Wales, Princes Henry and William of
Prussia, son of the Duke of Hesse aud
two or three others. Six magnificent
state carriages bore the princesses, her
daughters, granddaughters and other
members of the royal family. Then came
eleven carriages. brilliant with the Orient
al costumes of the Indian princes, sent
rs deputation from the English posses
sions in India. Such magnificent robing,
il is said, was never seen outside of India /;
embroideries, precious stones, such gor
geous stuffs, 50 rare and beautiful to look
upon. A young prince of Siam magnfi
GENTLY attired attracted especial attention
rs did the queen of the Sandwich Islands
in native costume, wrapt in a cloth of
silver tissue and glistening in the sun.
Between each section of the procession
was battalion of the Life Guard, proba-
bly, the most magnificent mounted body of
soldiery in Europe.
In the Abbey were crowded at least 20,
600 people. Almost every nation in the
world was represented by some distin-
Rushed citizen. Oriental princes in their
gorgeous costumes, the ancient and the
modern nobility of England, distinguish
ed statesmen like Mr.. Gladstone and Lord
Salisbury, men of letters, journalists,
diplomatlsts and people of fashion made
up the great concourse. The kings Of
Saxony, of Denmark, of Belgium and of
Greece were among those who waited for
4 4,
was announced by the blast of the State
trumpeter, and as she entered accom-
panied by the archbishops of Canter-
bury and York. the Dean of West
minister and the bishops of London, and
by great array of hereditary princes,
grand dukes, serene highnesses, imperial
highnesses and great officials, the audi
ence received her standing and stood
while she passed to the dais. The re-
ligious' services were brief and fitting, and
at their close the stately ceremonial was
relieved again by one OF those touches of
nature which make the whole world akin.
One after another of the Queens children
came forward and kissed her. in way
which transformed an act of formal
homage into an expression of personal
love. ms great pageant was followed by
Illumination of all England and Scotland
by bonlires and fireworks state banquets
by numberless receptions of ambassadors
and addresses from cities and organza-
tions of all kinds, and on the next day by
a children's festival in Hyde Park, where
10000 children were made happy.
1t is not likely that England will ever
see another such pageant, and this will
pass into history as one of the most i'm
posing exhibitions of royalty of modern
times.